https://nitten.or.jp/english The Nitten is the most popular of all the great art organizations in Japan. The Nitten has a long and industrious history, which began in 1907 as a result of the First Ministry of Education Art Exhibition. In the beginning, the exhibition was referred to as the Bunten. In 1919, the Imperial Art Academy […]
Category: Craft
We will introduce you about various Japanese crafts with how to use it, how worth using it or introduce crafts events, artists and craftmanships.
No Ordinary Doll! Naruko Kokeshi Dolls
By Mike Sullivan Beautiful Kokeshi dolls have been around for hundreds of years, originally they were made for children to play with but now they have become an adored collector’s item. They first started making dolls in the north of Japan in the seventeenth century; in places like Miyagi prefecture there are beautiful mountains with […]
A piece of cloth plus ideas equals Furoshiki!
By Saeko Hosokawa Today Japanese traditional culture in the form of Kimonos or Origami is well known in the world. What kind of “art” can you see in that kind of culture? I think it is the idea that changes a plain surface to an object with three dimensions. This time I would like to […]
Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditonal Arts and Crafts － Part Two
Following on from our introduction to the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts which can be seen in the link below, today we are covering the remaining traditional crafts of ishikawa Prefecture! http://najimu-japan.com/ishikawa-prefectural-museum-of-traditonal-arts-and-crafts-traditional-beauty-skills-and-spirit/ Kaga Cypress Wickerwork Due to the lightness, breathability and durability of the cypress wickerwork, it was first made into hats […]
Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditonal Arts and Crafts － Traditional Beauty, Skills and Spirit－
The opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen (high speed train) line to the capital of the Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa, has created an entirely new area to explore for foreign visitors, as well as made travel more convenient for local people. As tourism companies, as well as people planning their own trips, think of where to go […]
Japanese Crafts – Hakone-Yosegi-Zaiku Marquetry
In any country a lot of crafts will develop depending on the natural resources which are available, if a village in Fukuoka has a lot of good clay then people will find a way to create beautiful pottery, if an onsen village in the north of Japan has wood and lots of visiting families, then […]
Japanese Crafts – Kaga Yuzen from Ishikawa
The little town of Kaga in Ishikawa prefecture used to be an old temple town which today is famous for not only its temples but also its onsen. In the Edo period (1603-1868) a local printer and dyer, Yuzensai Miyazaki, worked on creating beautiful silk cloth with patterns and managed to perfect what became known […]
Introduction of Kiyomizu-Yaki – Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts
Previously we introduced the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts, and since then we have been lucky enough to make use of some of the museum staff’s time to learn more about Japanese crafts from Kyoto. They were kind enough to answer some questions, and even provide photos of their exhibits, regarding the famous ceramic craft […]
Japanese Crafts – Yamaga-toro Lanterns
Yamaga-toro are lanterns manufactured in Yamaga City in Kumamoto Prefecture. They are made using only Japanese paper and glue to create a three-dimensional object. The manufacturing technique has been passed down from the end of the Muromachi period, which is applied not only to conventional votive offerings but also to decorative figures, gifts or souvenirs, […]
Japanese Crafts – Nambu Ironware
In the area around Morioka in Iwate Prefecture people used to have a different name for this location, it was known as Nambu in the Edo period (1603-1868). In Nambu traditional ironware was produced in two areas, today they are known as Morioka City and in Mizusawa City in the south. It is believed that […]
Japanese Crafts – Hakata dolls
By Mike Sullivan Dolls have always been a favourite creation of Japanese craftspeople, whether it is the relatively simple Kokeshi dolls from the Onsen towns of north Japan, Gosho dolls from Kyoto in central Japan or Hakata dolls from Fukuoka in the south of the country. Each kind of doll has its own particular beauty […]
Regional Traditional Crafts to Be Exhibited during Expo Milano 2015
From METI website: Designs by Oki SATO in Combination with Traditional Craftsmen’s Techniques – Cool Japan Design Gallery – At Expo Milano 2015, the Cool Japan Design Gallery is to be established as one of the exhibitions at the Japan Pavilion, featuring traditional crafts which are created in collaboration between master craftsmen from every region […]
Sendai Tansu – A Beautiful Craft but an Expensive Hobby
Some Japanese crafts are relatively inexpensive, and therefore easy to collect. For example, a Kokeshi Doll collector can easily amass a lot of dolls at relatively little cost, unless they focus on particularly old dolls. However, other crafts, regardless of whether they are old or recently made, can be very expensive, and the Sendai tansu, […]
SIWA paper items : cushioned case size: mini
Review: SIWA cushioned case size: mini SIWA is collaborative project made by Japanese washi paper product maker called ONAO and worldwide designer Naoto Fukasawa. Today we picked SIWA cushioned case, size mini. The size is Wide:18cm Height: 12cm and weight only 21g. More detail please visit SIWA page. SIWA cushioned case size:mini This product is […]